Tait Named NBL MVP for 2010

Exodus Saints guard Lindsay Tait wins his second Most Valuable Player award, while Waikato Pistons swingman Thomas Abercrombie is named Kiwi Most Valuable Player.

Tait who won the MVP award in 2005 also won both Outstanding Guard and NZ Outstanding Guard leading his Saints side to a 14-4 record to clinch the regular season which is the second time in three seasons.

This is the fourth time Tait has been named Outstanding Guard (2003, 04, 05) and the fifth time he has won Best New Zealand Guard (2003, 04, 05, 07). In seasons past scoring has been the contributing factor to Tait’s previous awards but this season it has been well balanced with 7.1 assists which was a league best to go with his 16.6 points in 15 games.

In only his second season in the league Abercrombie has already become a franchise player winning his second Outstanding Forward and Best NZ Forward awards. Leading his team in scoring (20.7), assists (2.9), steals (1.6) and blocks (2), Abercrombie also featured in the top in the league in scoring (10th), rebounds (10th), and blocks (2nd).

Abercrombie’s team mate at the Pistons Alex Pledger is the rebounding champ with 12.6 per game. Pledger also led the league in double doubles with 11, averaging 11.5 points in 17 games.

Coach of the Year goes to none other than Saints Pero Cameron who in his rookie season as a Head Coach won the regular season and the championship amassing a 17 win and 5 loss record throughout the whole season.

Zerofees Southland Sharks centre Martin Iti is named Rookie of the Year with averages of 6.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 13 games. The Sharks sorely missed the inside presence of Iti who missed the last quarter of season though injury.

Sharks Rene Rougeau is named in the All Star Five and if there was a defensive player of the year he would be heavy favourite leading the league in steals (3.8) and fifth in blocks (1.6). Rougeau won the overall player power rankings in the regular season winning the player of the week four times averaging 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds playing in all of the Sharks 18 regular season.

Alongside Abercrombie and Rougeau in the forwards, Fico Finance Nelson GiantsMika Vukona earns his first All Star Five Selection with career high averages of 14.5 points and 9.9 rebounds (3rd in the league).

Scoring Champ Eric Devendorf joins his back court partner Tait to round out the All Star Five for his contributions both for the Pistons and the Saints. Devendorf averaged 25.6 points in 13 regular season games which included a league high 49 points in his first ever NBL game.

2010 Bartercard National Basketball League Awards

Most Valuable Player

Lindsay Tait (Exodus Saints)

Regular Season Winners

Exodus Saints (14-4)

Keith Carr Trophy - Most Outstanding Guard

Lindsay Tait (Exodus Saints)

John Macdonald Trophy - Most Outstanding NZ Guard

Lindsay Tait (Exodus Saints)

Commissioners Cup - Most Outstanding Forward

Thomas Abercrombie (Waikato Pistons)

Stan Hill Trophy - Most Outstanding NZ Foward/Center

Thomas Abercrombie (Waikato Pistons)

Garry Pettis Memorial Trophy - Leading Individaul Rebounder

Alex Pledger (12.6) (Waikato Pistons)

Dave Taylor Trophy - Leading Assists

Lindsay Tait (7.1) (Exodus Saints)

Leading Scorer

Eric Devendorf (25.6) (Exodus Saints)

All Star Five

Lindsay Tait (Exodus Saints)

Eric Devendorf (Exodus Saints)

Thomas Abercrombie (Waikato Pistons)

Mika Vukona (Fico Finance Nelson Giants)

Rene Rougeau (Zerofees Southland Sharks)

Rookie of the Year

Martin Iti (Zerofees Southland Sharks)

Coach of the Year

Pero Cameron (Exodus Saints)

Free Throw Leader

Phill Jones (87.7%) (Fico Finance Nelson Giants)

Last Modified on 08/07/2010 14:42

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